Quick-hitting analysis on every significant contributor to the 2010 New Orleans Saints.

*New Veteran

**rookie

Head Coach: Sean Payton (5th year)

Offense

Coordinator: Pete Carmichael

QB: Drew Brees

Has entered the “best QB in football?” discussion. Quick decision making and accuracy are his two best attributes.

RB: Pierre Thomas

Very good inside runner who offers more power than his size suggests. Has played out his contract and earned the NFL minimum three-straight years. Saints need to pay him.

RB: Reggie Bush

Strictly a finesse player. Not a superstar, but his unique skill set creates unbearable matchup problems for defenses.

FB: Heath Evans

Consummate fullback. His lead-blocking was a big reason this team ranked sixth in rushing last year.

WR: Marques Colston

Struggles to change direction and accelerate, but at 6’5”, 225, he’s an ideal possession receiver.

WR: Devery Henderson

Has polished his game extremely well over the past two years. Drops are no longer an issue. Has averaged 19.7 yards per catch over his career.

WR: Robert Meachem

Has gone from being a situational deep threat to an integral part of the offense. Excellent combination of size and speed.

TE: Jeremy Shockey

A bit of a head case, but few players fight as hard on Sundays as this guy.

TE: David Thomas

Soft hands and fluidity in space make him a great fit in Sean Payton’s offense.

LT: Jermon Bushrod

A significant liability, though this offense – and especially Brees – does a great job compensating for him.

LG: Carl Nicks

Meet the new best left guard in the NFC. Seriously. He gets to the second level in run-blocking with regularity.

C: Jonathan Goodwin

The quiet lynchpin in this mammoth front five.

RG: Jahri Evans

Deserves every penny of the seven-year, $56.7 million contract he signed in the offseason.

RT: Jon Stinchcomb

Pro Bowl honor last year was a product of the offense’s reputation more than his play. Gritty veteran, but sloppy footwork can be a problem when he’s facing elite an athlete.

6 OL: Charles Brown**

Second-round rookie may not play ahead of Zach Strief right away, but he was brought in to be a starter in the long haul.

Defense

LDE: Alex Brown*

Thought of as a speed-rusher, but considering he plays the run okay and has a single-season sack high of 7, let’s just call him a standard defensive end.

DT: Sedrick Ellis

Hasn’t lived up to first-round billing thus far, but injuries have been somewhat of a factor. Must get better at untangling from blocks.

DT: Remi Ayodele

Same output as Ellis. The difference is, he wasn’t even drafted in ’08.

RDE: Will Smith

He’s too good a player to be subjected to a Men in Black or Fresh Prince joke. Good quickness and uncapped energy make him an everydown menace.

5 DL: Anthony Hargrove

Only decent raw talent, but takes advantage of big-play opportunities.

SLB: Jo-Lonn Dunbar

Undrafted in ’08. Didn’t play with outstanding awareness in limited action last season but will get first crack at replacing Scott Fujita.

MLB: Jonathan Vilma

Offers tremendous movement skills and sideline-to-sideline speed. Most valuable as the signal-caller for this front seven.

WLB: Scott Shanle

Not a stud, but he strives to play fast and fervidly, especially in congestion.

4 LB: Clint Ingram*

Worked in Gregg Williams’s scheme for one year as a Jaguar. If he recovers from microfracture knee surgery, he’ll push for a starting job.

CB: Jabari Greer

Can do whatever the situation calls for. Excellent timing as a ball attacker; decent tackler when defending the sticks. He’s a top 10 cornerback.

SS: Roman Harper

Might be the best all-around force on this D. Fast enough to run with wideouts in coverage, though awareness isn’t always the best in space. But put him near the box and he’ll make play after play.

FS: Darren Sharper

Didn’t get the contract he wanted, thanks to arthroscopic microfracture knee surgery. If he’s right, he’ll continue to be one of the best all-around pass defenders of his generation.

CB: Tracy Porter

The Super Bowl hero is still getting better. This is only his third season.

NB: Patrick Robinson**

Fast, athletic first-round pick will challenge the physical, more plodding Randall Gay for slot duties.

6 DB: Malcolm Jenkins

Doesn’t have the agility or change-of-direction dexterity to be an NFL corner. Saints knew when they drafted him that he’d probably become a safety at some point. That point is now.

Special Teams

K: Garrett Hartley

Great range, and one of the best pressure kickers in the game.

P: Thomas Morstead

With this offense, the punter doesn’t really matter.

RS: Courtney Roby

Shows a second burst when he’s able to spot daylight returning kicks.